Firearm.



M. F. SMITH.

y PIREARM. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 2l, 1906.

954,654. Patented Apr. 12,1910.

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M. P. SMITH.

PIREARM.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 00T. 21, 1905.

` Patented Apr.12,1910.

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M. P. SMITH.

FIREARM. V APPLICATION FILED 00T. 21, 1905.

` Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

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M. F. SMITH.

HREABM. ARPLIOATION FILED 00T. 21, 1905.

Patented Apr'.'12,1910.

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@Montags MORRIS rom) SMITH, or PHILnmt-ITHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, assIGr-Noa'roY SMITH- GONDIT ARMS COMPANY, 0F PHILADELFHIA, PIE!NNSYLVAN'IA;A./COBPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

kSpecication of Letters Patent.

EIBEABM.- j

Patented npr. 12, 1910.

benennen medoctobe 21, 1905. seria1 No. 283,829.

Tc all 'whom'z't `'nzc'y concern:

Be it knownthat I', MORRIs'FoRD SMITH,

a citizen of the 'United States, and resident 'of Philadelphia, in thecounty 'of Philadelphialiand `State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful 'Improve A ments in Firearms, of which the v`is aspecification.

following My invention relates to magazine tire arms and more especiallyto that type 1n which' the functions of opening the breech, dischargingthe spent shell, feeding a new -cartridge and closing the breech, areaccomplished by-the 'act of tiring.

My invention has for an object to render such a gun easily convertiblefrom automatic loading to hand loading or magazine reserve shooting andto facilitate the hand loading by interrupting or arresting theautomatic operation after each shot with the breech open ready toreceive a cartridge dropped in by hand and then permitting completion ofthe cycle of automatic movements by releasing the breech closure, themagazine being locked off during this use of the gun so as to be held inreserve.

Further objects areJ to provide -an improved means for locking thereceiver and the frame together; an improved means for securing the gascylinder to the barrel, said' j means being also Aadapted to hold thewooden casing to the barrel;l an improved firing mechanism; an improvedmagazine lock off and an improved means for retracting the breech bolt.

With these and other objects in'view, the invention consists in thevparts and combination of parts hereinafter described, shownin theaccompanying drawings, andY more particularly pointed outintheja-ppended claims. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe receiver and the frame of the gun. vFig. .2 is a verticallongitudinal section through the receiver and the frame in positionready for tiring. Figs. '3 and 4 are respectively longitudinal sectionsof two-adl jacent portions of the barrel and the gas operated'parts.Fig. 5 is'a longitudinal-section, showing the reech bolt open and readyto return to firing position. Flg. 6 is a horizontal section through therecelver. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on line 7-7,` Fig. 6.Fig. 8 is a like section on linel 8-8 of the same Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is alike section on line 9-49, Fig. 2. Figs. 10 and 11 are' may be adaptedto guns of other types.

perspective views'respectively of the magai zinelocl': off slide and itsoperating slide. Flg. 12 1s an 1ns1de view of one wall of the magazine,showing the lock off 'slide lowered. Flg. 13 is a perspective view o fthe trigger land the connector. Fig. 14 is a Side elevation of the latchor'detenta-1to1engal ging the members of the driverod'. Fig. '15- isadetall perspective view of a portion ofthe drlve'rods and latch ordatent. Fig. 16- isa vlongitudinal section through one wall ofthereceiver, showin the retractin lslide land one member of t e drive rod.ig. 17 is an end view .of the retracting slide. Fig. 18 1s alongitudinal section of the retracting arm. Flgs. 19 and 20 are detailsectionalV views showing the two positions of the retractinr arm.

whii 1 have 11d-eidA shown and described my improvements as applied to agun of the type shown in my Patents No. 814,242, dated March 6, 1906,No. 817,198, dated April 10, 1906, and N o. 818,920, dated April 24,1906, it is to be understood that the improvements Assembling gum-In thegun shown, A indicates a stock having a frame B rigidly secured thereto.Theforward portion of the frame is provided with a recess 1 in whichenters the lug 2 on the receiver or barrel extension 3 and holds thefront part of theirame and the receiver together. The

upper edge of the frame is provided with grooves 4e, one on each sideand in these grooves fit tongues 5 on the receiver 3.

Locking the frame and the receiver tof galten-I combine with thisconstruction a particular form of locking device which I have found tobe simple and effective for locking the rear of the receiver to theframe. This locking device comprises a lug 6 on the rear end of thereceiver adapted to enter a notch 7 in a projection 8 on the'frame. Theframe and receiver, when connected together, are locked by a latch 9pivoted intermediate its ends at l0 and pressed upwardly atits rear endby a coil s ring 11. When the receiver is slid rearwar ly on the frame,the latch is-engaged by the receiver and depressed". After the lug 6enters the notch, the latch moves, under the action of its spring',behind a shoulder 12 on the receiver. To separate the receiver*y and theframe,- a projectile or other pointed device is introneed through anopening 13- in the framel to engage the forward end of the latch to movethe latter out of the path of the shoulder 12.

Breeze/z bolt and its operating mechanz'sm.-Arranged to move on tracks14 within the receiver and on the tracks 15 on the top of the frame is abreech bolt C which is locked to the breech of the barrel D preferablyby a pivoted locking bolt 16 engaging a shoulder 17 in the receiver andmoved into and out of locking position by a drive rod. The rear end ofthe breech bolt carries projecting coil springs C which are adapted toengage the rear of the recelver and prevent any shock being transmittedto the bolt. This drive rod is composed of a piston rod 18 and abifurcated rear end portion forming two members V19 arranged on eitherside of the breech bolt and connected thereto in any suitable manner,such, for instance, as shown in my Patent #817 ,198. The piston rodcarries a piston 20 and extends through a lug 21 depending from thebarrelv and works in a tube or cylinder 22 seated at one end in the lug21. As an im rovement over my Patent #817,198 this tu e is seated at itsother end in a member 23 which is hung fromthe barrel by la sleeve 24and is pro.- vided with passageway 25 that communicates with atransverse port 26, this port bein in communication with the bore `ofthe arrel near one end of the latter to take powder gases from thebarrel as usual. This member 23 slides on the barrel from the muzzle endand is held at its rear against an annular shoulder 27 on the barrel, bymeans of a sliding in 28 and a sleeve 29 which in' turn is loc ed by aneccentric pin 33. Also carried by the member 23 is a rib 31 which forlnsa seat for one end of a hollow wooden casing which surrounds the barrel`and the cylinder, the other end ofthe casing being seated in the frontends of the receiver 3 and the frame B. The drive rod is cushioned bydash pot 32 and returned by a coil spring 33, the constructions of bothforming no part of the present invention.

Firing mechanism/. ,The breech bolt C carries a firing pin or striker 34which is pressed forwardly by a coil spring 35 mounted in the hollowrear end ofthe striker and bearing against a removable abutment 36. Thisfiring pin is moved rearwardly in the breechbolt by lugs on the driverod, as shown in my previous patents, and, immediately before the breechbolt reaches its firing position, a sear 37 preferably pivoted to theframe below the breech bolt in the manner set forth in my Patent#817,198, enters into engagement with a shoulder 38 on the firing pinand holds the latter in firing position. The sear is pressed upwardly bya spring 37".

In a semi-automatic gun it is well recognized that it is necessary toprovide means for releasing the sear before the trigger is released. Inmy Patents #817 ,198 and #818,920, I accomplish this result by shiftlngthe trigger. This, however, has some disadvantages and in my presentconstruction, I provide a fixed fulcrum 42 for the trigger 36 and anintermediate pivoted member or connector 40 between the sear and thetrigger. this connector being provided with a shiftable fulcrum. Thetrlgger is mounted 754 between the side walls of the frame, the sidewalls being provided with alined perforations 41 lshown in dotted linesin Fig. 7 into which are adapted to project trunnlons 42 carried by thetrigger. These trunnions 80 42 are vadapted to be pressed within thetrigger to permit'the trigger to be withdrawn from the frame, thetrunnions each having a pin and slot connection 43 with the trigger andbeing pressed outwardly by a' 85 i spring 44. The trigger is furtherprovided with a rearward extension 45 having a curved face 46. Thisextension is straddled by the bifurcated rear end of the connector 40which is formed on its upper rear 90 face with a shoulder 47 lying inthepath of shoulders 48 on the under side of the breech bolt, and has itsunder face provided with a plane surface 49 slidable on the curved face46; thus providing a loose con- 95 nection between the trigger and theconnector. In fr'ont of the surface 49 the connector lies below thetrunnions 42 and on opposite sides of the trigger, while in front of thetrigger the connector is formed with a hollow portion or bore 50 inwhich works a block 51. This block 51 has loosely eX- tendingtherethrough a pivot pin 52 whose ends are secured within the arms of aU shaped`cradle 53 which has dovetailed con- 105 nections 54 withopposite sides of the frame, thus permitting the cradle and theconnector to be withdrawn vertically from the fralne. The forward end ofthe connector` 40 is provided with a nose 40a which lies normally 110above the rear free end of the sear, and is held in this position by` ahelical spring 55 arranged in the bore 50 and abutting the forward endwall of t-he bore and the front end of the block 51. The forward ,end ofthe connector 40 is -normally held in a raised position by a helicalspring 56 whose upper end surrounds a lug 57 depending from theconnector and whose lower end is seated in a pocket 56a in the framebelow the con- 120 nector. y

It is apparent that, with the parts as shown in Fig. 2, if the triggeris pulled, the rear end of the connector 40 will be elevated and thefront end willbe depressed, thus causing the sear to release the firingpin and the cartridge to be fired. Upon the rearward movement of thebreech bolt, the shoulder '48 will engage the shoulder 47 on theconnector and move the connector to 133 release'the sear. OwingA to theloose connecthe trigger will not be alfected. On the forward' movementof the breech bolt, the coni nector is released and moves forward underthe action of its s ring 55. If the trlgger has been released t econnectorl will now'. lie in the position shown in Fig. 2, but, -if'thetrigger is still held, the forward end of theconnector will engage therear end of' the sear and when the trigger is released will rideabovethe scar. l i

A lock for the firing mechanism may be provided, thatshown consisting ofa lever 97 pivoted intermediate of its ends at 98 and havingits upperend adapted to be thrown/ beneath thesear and its lowerend projectingthrough a slot 99 in the bottom of the frame. Y

H and loading-.An automatic gun is desirable both in hunting and inwarfare, in the `former 'when the object aimed at is missed on'the irstfire and will escape-if hand reloading is necessary; and in"the latterwhen the warfare is being conductedin' close quarters. However, in bothhunting v and in' warfare it is unnecessary to at all times have anautomatic magazine gun and therefore the magazine may be held inAreserve until' actually needed, and the breech may be prevented fromreturning to firing position soqthat a projectile may beintroduced intotherbarrel by hand. I

Magazine lock olf-To hold the magazine in'reserve, I provide a magazinelockotl. This magazinelock off hasbeen'adapted for that type of magazinearranged on the forward endof the frame and sliown in my previouspatents-in' which the cartridges 60a` are arranged in two rows and arefed into the magazine through the'bottom ofthe latter, the bottom beingHclosedby av cover 58 hingedat'58 and caiq'gifyingga feedingl lever 59'which isymoved a spring 60 to feed the cartridges through the contracteddischarge ofthe magazine. The contracted discharge is formed by 'twooverhanging. lips' 61 and 62, one Iextending inwardly from each wall ofthe magazine, and both gradually,

decreasingl in thickness from their rear ends so that theyarelpositioned some distance fontnend ofthe magazine. discharge 1s thusless in width at its rea-r than the diameter of a cartridge so thatr theshell of a cartridge cannot enter the receiver under the action of thefeeding lever but has to be moved through the front end of the dischargeof the magazine and into the barrel, by the front end of the breeclibolt, the lower portion of which is'adapted to fit between tlreloverhanging lips. This construction of magazine is, ,as before stated,old.,

To lock ofll the magazine, a portion of one wall of the magazine isformed into a vertical slide 63 which carries a portion 61a of one oftliesoverhanging lips. Thi slide has a` tongue and groove connection 63awith the adjacent portions of the magazine Awall and on itsiouter faceis provided with a lug 61 lug 64 extends into a longitudinal cam groove65 on one face of a slide 66 arranged lto move transversely of the slide63 and on a track 67 which is positioned on the outto the slide 66 is a.leaf spring 68 Awhich is. formed with a projection 69 at its free end,adapted-to enter notches in the frame and thus to hold slide 66 in bot-hof its extreme be depressed and vice versa, thus providing Aa 'means-foroperating the slide 63. 'The overhanging 11p-on slide 63 forms a means f--press the same 'and preventit beingjed into thelpath of the breechbolt, thus preventing feedlng from the magazine.

Automatically locking breechtolt open.-

that :i1-projectile may be introduced through the discharge opening 71and thus feedfindependently of the magazine, I provide .a latch or'detent comprising two arms 7 2vconapproximately horizontal and arepivoted at their forward ends as at 74, within the gun frame adjacent tothe stock. On their outer faces, these arms carry lugs or shoulbeveledrear ends 76 of the drive rod members 19. These beveled ends of thedrive rod canse the depression of the latch which, then and causes thelugs or shoulders to enter notches in the under side ofthe members 19safid notches, and thus prevent the return of the breech bolt and thuspermit it to return to firing position there is provided a releasingdevice in the form of a trip or lever 79 pivoted intermediate of itsends at v8O. and

frame at the rear of -the receiver, and at the piece,l and its otherportion extending into the frame "land provided with a nose 8,1

cross piece 73, o f the two-armed detent 7 2 (Figs. 2, 5, 14 and 15)-,When the nose is positioned in the forward portion of the groove infront of shoulder 8.2a as shown 1n by its spring 77 to position shown inFig. 2 partly Fin full lines and artly-in dotted lines and bydottedlines in Fig. 14 where. its shoulders 75 canengage shoulders 78 onformed with vbeveled faces 64 and 64b. This 70` side of the gun frame.Secured ,at one end 75 positions. When the slide 66 is moved to 80 ,therear by linger piece 7 Othe slide 63 will tol'enga'ge the uppermostcartridge to de- 85 To cause the breech bolt to remainopen so nected bya cross piece 73. The two arms lie ders 75 which, when the rear end ofthe latch 100 or detent is elevated, lie in the path of the),

under the action of a helical spring .77, rises 105 and to engage theshoulders 78 formed by ldrive rod and-the breech bolt. To release havingone portion projecting above the forward end of the grip, to provide a.'finger Y adapted to. move in a cam gropve 82 in the Fig. 2, the latchor detent- 72 will be raised 125 the drive rod membedrs; and when'saidnose a bolt will move to firing osition.

Retraotng breech bo t by lumi-The breech bolt may also be retracted byhand.

For this purpose, a slide or bolt 83 is ar ranged to reciprocate upontracks 84 arranged upon the side of the receiver. This slidecarries onits front end an arm 85 which is journaled upon a bearing or pin 86carried by the slide. This arm is formed with a` nos'e or'projection 87adapted when the/arm is -thrown upwardlyt pass into a slot 88 in thereceiver and en age in a notch 89 in a member 190i?L the drive rod. lIf, in this,position,`the arm 85 is pulled to the rear, the slide 83 andtheI drive rod with the oree'ch bolt will also bedrawn tq the rear. The.breech boltl may in this position be locked either by detent in therear of the receiver orvby the spring latch 90 carried by the slide andadapted to en 21g? in a'notch 91 in lthe receiveru When t e arm 85 lisin an inoperativeposition the breech bolt4 and drive rod aredisconnected therefrom', The

end of the slide 83 is also provided with 'an' arcuate groove 92concentric withthe pivot of the arm 85, and the arm is provided with apin 93 which 'works in the groovefand limits the swinging movement ofthearm. To

prevent the free -swinging'of the arm 85,

said arm is made with a central bore closed at the outer end ofthe armand terminating at the pivot in 86. In this bore is arranged a helicalspring 94 which bears at its outer end against a removable plug 95closing the outer end of the bore, and bears at its inner end againstablock or plunger 96 frictionally engaging'the pin 86.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to securev by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic fire arm; a barrel, ,a

'- breech bolt, a drive rod automatically mov- .ing said breech bolt toand from the breech ol the barrel, rin mechanism arranged to fire thegun while die breech .is closed and a detent inde endent of the fir-ingmechanism automatica y engagin the drive rod while the breech is openand holding the breech bolt in such position until the drive rod isreleased.

2. In a firearm having a breech-bolt, a pair .of drive rods moving to oen said breech-bolt on firing, a releasable etent automaticallyengagingeachof the said drive rods to detain the breebh-bolt in o enosition, cooking means, independentV o sai Adetent, and re easingmechanism 'operative to the breech.

the breech, to cause'firing; said detent-comprising a pair of pivotedarms, each having engaging means, that restrain the breechbolt on oneside thereof.

4. In a Vfire arm, having a breech closure automatically opening as aresult of firingJ automatic closing means for said breech clpsure, adetent engaging the closing means, means releasing said detent to permitclosing the bregch, and firing mechanism operative at will, afterclosing of the breech, independent of the detent releasing means.

5. A fire arm having a breech-closure, au-

tomatic breech-opening mechanism, automatic breech closing mechanism, adetent locking the breech-closure in open position, 'means releasingsaid detent to permi ,automatic action in the closing means an vfiringmechanism, tion, a sear independent of the detent stading in engagementwith and restraining the ignition-causing means after closure 'of thebreech, tent-rc easing' means, for releasing the sear and causingfiring.. y

6.'In an automatic magazine iire arm, automatic means holding the breechopen on firing, and means for preventing the feeding ofV cartridges fromthe magazine, comprising means for depressing the column of cartrrdgesand means for holding said depressing means in its depressed position.

7. A firearm having means automatically holding openthe breech at timeof firing and means whereby the magazine is prevented from presenting acartridge in position for insertion into the gun' comprising adeembodying means causing ignir and means independent o f `the devicefor degressing the column of cartridges.;

recess near the rear thereof, a receiver having'a separable connectionwith the front ofthe frame, and a lug at its rear to enter the recess inthe frame, and a'- latch pivoted to the lframe and arranged in the pathof and adapted to engage the receiver to hold the lug in the recess.

9. In a gun, the combination of a frame, having a ecess at its rear; areceiver having a separab e connection with the front of the frame, atongue and groove connection with the sides of the frame, and a lug toenter the recess in the frame; and aA latch pivoted intermediate of itsends and having its upper end arranged to be depressed by the receiverin assembling the gun and to engage the receiver and hold the ug in therecess. A

iis

frame, of a receiver having a separable con- 4 nection with the front ofthe frame and an interlocking connection with the rear of the frame, anda latch pivoted intermediate of p its ends and having its upper endarranged to be depressed by the receiver in assembling the gun and thento engage the receiver and hold Vit interlocked with the rear `of the.

V from, and a removable casing for the barrel and the cylinder, seatedat its forward end in the' removable member.

' -12. A member for gas operated guns provided with a gas port, a seatfor a gas cylinder, a sleeve to fit agun barrel, and a scat for a ncasing.

13. n an automatic `gun, the combination with a breech bolt, of a sear,a trigger, and a connectorbetween'the sear and the trigger, having ashiftable fulcrum and shifted i by the breech bolt.

14. -In an automatic gun, the combination with the breech bolt, of aSear, a trigger having a rearward extension, and a connector adapted tobe engaged by the rearward extension of thetrig er and bythe breechbolt, and having apshlftable fulCrum.

.15. In an automatic gun, the combination with a breech bolt, of a Sear,a trigger, and a connector operated bythe breech bolt and having. ablock slidable thereon and carrying the pivots of the connector.

16. In an automatic gun, the combination'f with the breech bolt, of aSear, a trigger, and

a connector between the trigger and the Sear,

having a loose connection with the trigger, and provided with a slidingblock carrying a pivot. and a spring tending to move the connector ctothe sear.

17. In an automatic gun, the combination with the breech bolt movingautomatically upon tiring, of a striker, a sear for said striker, atrigger, and a connector between the trigger and the sear, comprising anintermediately pivoted lever engaging the sear and trigger by its'resective ends. and longitudinally movable in ependently lof both the searand trigger,land engaged by the loreechv 4bolt and carried rearwardly toremove it from the sear when the breech opens.

18. In a gun, a rgun frame having a magazine opening formed at theforward end thereof, .saidma'gazine opening having a movable bottomclosure mounted .on the frame and lips extending from .its opposite-walls; andzmeans for depressing a portlon of one of said lips.

19. In a un, the combination with the magazine,J of a vertical slidecarrying means to engagethe cartridges and cause the depression of'thelatter, 1n a direction opposite to the feed, when the slide isdepressed, and means holding the slide in depressed vposition, therebypreventing feed -of the cartridges.

20. In a gun, the combination with a magazine, of a vertical slide fordepressing the cartridges, and a slide movable transversely of thevertical slide and having a cam connection therewith. y

21. In a gun, the combination with a magazine, laving cartridgeretaining lips eX- tending from opposite walls thereof at the rear ofthe magazine onlyof means for depressing a portion of one of said lips.

22. In a gun, a gun frame having a magazine opening formed `at theforward end4 thereof, said magazine opening having a movable bottomclosure; lips extendlng from its opposite walls; and a verticallydepressible slide formingv part of, a wall of the magazine opening andcarrying a'portion of one of the lips.

23. .In an automatic gun, the combination dri-.ye-rod-.for moving thebreech bolt, of a firing mechanism for firin the gun operablewith thebreech bolt and the gas operated anism for engaging the drive rod tohold the breech open, and means for preyentin'g fthe latch 'engaging thedrive rod.

24. In an automat-ic gun, the combination with the breech bolt, and agas loperated drive rod having a bifurcated rear end, of a latch formedoftwo arms and a cross-piece, pivoted at its front and adapted to engagethe drive rod. I

25. In an automatic gun, the combination with the breech bolt, and agas-operated drive rod having abifurcated rear` end, of a latch formedof two arms and a cross piece, pivoted at its front and adapted toengage the drive od, and a trip adapted to engage the latch and operatethesame.i

l26. In a gun, the combinatlon with the drive rod, of a yslidingretracting bolt carrying. an arm movable relatively to the bolt into and-out of'engagernent with the drive ro v` r1`he foregoing specificationsigned at Phil-4

